It is only a matter of a few weeks until the dull days of August are behind us and NHL teams begin preparing for training camp, with players returning to the ice and front offices reconvening to ready their clubs for the 2018-19 season.

Once camps are underway, there will likely be another topic looming for players, front office folks, team owners and league executives alike: the potential of another lockout.

That may seem premature, but talks about the upcoming expiry of the current collective bargaining agreement are expected to begin at some point in the coming months, and though there is nothing concrete planned between the NHL and NHLPA right now, you can bet that there are a few critical dates each side is keeping in mind.

According to the CBA, ratified in January 2013 after a 113-day lockout and slated to run through 2022, the NHL has the right to terminate the current agreement early on Sept. 1, 2019. The NHLPA has the same opt-out right on Sept. 15,...